Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator includes a case body enclosing a storage space, and a heat insulation wall disposed within the storage space. The storage space is divided into mutually isolated storage compartments by the heat insulation wall. The heat insulation wall includes a vacuum glass module, and the vacuum glass module includes at least two glass layers disposed at a spacing from each other and a vacuum heat insulation cavity located between adjacent glass layers. The vacuum glass module can reduce the thickness of the heat insulation wall and improve the storage performance of the refrigerator.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Chinese Patent Application CN 2017 2022 4326.1, filed Mar. 9, 2017; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of refrigeration appliances, and specifically, to a refrigerator.

Description of the Related Art

A refrigerator usually includes a plurality of storage compartments, and adjacent storage compartments are spaced apart by a heat insulation wall. In an existing refrigerator, a heat insulation wall and a case body are both foamed. However, the heat insulation wall formed by foaming is relatively thick and occupies a relatively large space for heat insulation. Consequently, the space of the storage compartment is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a refrigerator, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages and resolves the foregoing technical problem of the heretofore-known refrigerators of this general type.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a refrigerator including a case body enclosing a storage space, and a heat insulation wall disposed within the storage space. The storage space is divided into mutually isolated storage compartments by the heat insulation wall. The heat insulation wall includes a vacuum glass module, and the vacuum glass module includes at least two glass layers disposed at a spacing from each other and a vacuum heat insulation cavity located between adjacent glass layers. The storage compartment may be a refrigeration compartment, a variable temperature compartment, or a freezing compartment.

In comparison with the prior art, the technical construction of the present invention has the following advantages: The vacuum glass module is used for the heat insulation wall to perform heat insulation between adjacent storage compartments. Given the same heat insulation requirements, the thickness of the vacuum glass module is significantly reduced as compared with that of a heat insulation wall formed by foaming. In this way, the space of the storage compartments can be enlarged and the storage capability of the refrigerator can be improved.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the vacuum glass module may include a frame surrounding the glass layers, and the frame is supported on an inner wall of the case body.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a heat isolation space may be provided within the frame, and the heat isolation space is filled with a foaming heat insulation material or the heat isolation space is an air layer to avoid leakage of cold air from the frame.

In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the heat isolation space may be separated, in a direction surrounding the heat insulation wall, into a plurality of heat isolation spaces isolated from each other, to impair the mobility of air within the frame and improve the heat insulation performance of the frame.

In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the case body may further include a support wall extending towards the storage space, and the heat insulation wall is supported on the support wall.

In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the heat insulation wall may be provided with support walls on both sides of a thickness direction, and be sandwiched between the support walls.

In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, a heat insulation space filled with a foaming heat insulation material may be provided within the case body, and the heat insulation space extends into the support wall.

In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the support wall may be provided with a reinforcement plate on a side towards the heat insulation wall, and be connected to the heat insulation wall by using the reinforcement plate, to improve the strength of the support wall and avoid deformation of the support wall during load-bearing.

In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the support wall and the case body may be separately molded, and the support wall is fixedly connected to the case body.

In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the vacuum glass module and the case body may be bonded. For example, the vacuum glass module and the case body are connected by using an adhesive material such as a double-sided adhesive tape or a hot melt adhesive.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a refrigerator, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, front-elevational view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the direction of the arrows A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of a joint between a heat insulation wall and a case body in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the direction of the arrows A-A in FIG. 1 of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of a joint between a heat insulation wall and a case body in the refrigerator according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to make the foregoing objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, the following describes in detail the specific embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

This embodiment provides a refrigerator. Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a refrigerator which includes a case body 10 enclosing a storage space, and a heat insulation wall 20 disposed within the storage space. The storage space is divided into mutually isolated storage compartments 10 a by the heat insulation wall 20.

The storage compartment 10 a may be any one of a refrigeration compartment, a variable temperature compartment, or a freezing compartment. In addition to a lateral configuration shown in FIG. 1, adjacent storage compartments 10 a may be vertically disposed. In addition, the number of the storage compartments 10 a may be two or more.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in contrast to the prior art, the heat insulation wall 20 in this embodiment includes a vacuum glass module, and the vacuum glass module includes at least two glass layers 21 disposed at a spacing and a vacuum heat insulation cavity 22 located between adjacent glass layers 21. The two adjacent glass layers 21 are sealed at a peripheral edge by a sealing element 23, to form the vacuum heat insulation cavity 22.

Therefore, the vacuum glass module is used for the heat insulation wall to perform heat insulation between the adjacent storage compartments. Given the same heat insulation requirements, the thickness of the vacuum glass module is significantly reduced as compared to that of a heat insulation wall formed by foaming. In this way, the space of the storage compartments can be enlarged and a storage capability of the refrigerator can be improved.

The heat insulation wall 20 formed by the vacuum glass module is supported within the storage space. There may be a variety of types of connections between the heat insulation wall 20 and the case body. For example, a frame 24 surrounding the glass layers 21 is disposed at a circumferential edge of the vacuum glass module and the vacuum glass module is supported on an inner wall of the case body 10 by using the frame 24.

In order to avoid leakage of cold air from the frame 24, a heat isolation space 24 a may be provided within the frame 24, and the heat isolation space 24 a may be full of air or be filled with a foaming heat insulation material. When the heat isolation space 24 a is an air layer, the heat isolation space 24 a is separated, in a direction surrounding the heat insulation wall 20, into a plurality of heat isolation spaces isolated from each other, in order to impair the mobility of the air within the frame 24 and improve the heat insulation performance of the frame 24.

Still referring to FIG. 3, it is seen that the case body 10 further includes a support wall 11 extending towards the storage space, and the heat insulation wall 20 is supported on the support wall 11. Specifically, in a thickness direction of the heat insulation wall 20, the heat insulation wall 20 is disposed on a side of the support wall 11, and surfaces of the heat insulation wall 20 and the support wall 11 facing each other are connected by an adhesive. The adhesive may be an adhesive material such as a hot melt adhesive or a double-sided adhesive tape.

When the heat insulation wall 20 is bonded into the support wall 11, the support wall 11 bears the weight of the heat insulation wall 20 as a load-bearing element. In order to avoid deformation of the support wall 11 during load-bearing, the support wall 11 may further be provided with a reinforcement plate 12 on a side towards the heat insulation wall 20, and be connected to the heat insulation wall 20 by using the reinforcement plate 12.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the support wall 11 is a part of the case body. A heat insulation space filled with a foaming heat insulation material is provided within the case body, and the heat insulation space extends into the support wall 11. That is, a heat insulation space is also provided within the support wall 11, and the heat insulation space is a part of the heat insulation space of the case body and is also filled with a foaming heat insulation material.

In another embodiment, the support wall may alternatively be an element that is independent of the case body. That is, the support wall and the case body are separately molded, and the support wall is fixedly connected to the case body.

Second Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, it is seen that the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that the structures of the support walls are different. In this embodiment, the heat insulation wall 20 is provided with support walls 11 on both sides in a thickness direction, an insertion groove is formed between the support walls 11 on the two sides of the heat insulation wall 20, and the heat insulation wall 20 is inserted in the insertion groove between the support walls 11.

The type of connection between the heat insulation wall 20 and the support wall 11 is the same as that in the first embodiment.

In other embodiments, the insertion groove may alternatively be recessed on the inner wall of the case body directly. That is, a support wall is not disposed on the inner wall of the case body 10 by extending towards the storage space. Instead, a groove is recessed on the inner wall of the case body 10 away from the storage space, a groove wall of the groove is used as a support wall, and the heat insulation wall is inserted in the groove and connected to the support wall.

Although the present invention is disclosed above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the scope defined by the claims. 

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a case body enclosing a storage space; and a heat insulation wall disposed within said storage space, said heat insulation wall dividing said storage space into mutually isolated storage compartments; said heat insulation wall having a vacuum glass module, said vacuum glass module including at least two adjacent glass layers disposed at a mutual spacing and a vacuum heat insulation cavity located between said adjacent glass layers.
 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said case body has an inner wall, and said vacuum glass module includes a frame surrounding said glass layers, said frame being supported on said inner wall.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, which further comprises a heat isolation space disposed within said frame, said heat isolation space being an air layer or being filled with a foaming heat insulation material.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein said heat isolation space is separated, in a direction surrounding said heat insulation wall, into a plurality of heat isolation spaces being isolated from each other.
 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said case body includes a support wall extending towards said storage space, said heat insulation wall being supported on said support wall.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein: said heat insulation wall has two sides and a thickness direction; said support wall is one of a plurality of support walls each being disposed on a respective one of said sides of said heat insulation wall in said thickness direction; and said heat insulation wall is sandwiched between said support walls.
 7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein said case body has a heat insulation space formed therein, said heat insulation space is filled with a foaming heat insulation material, and said heat insulation space extends into said support wall.
 8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein said support wall has a side facing towards said heat insulation wall, said support wall has a reinforcement plate on said side facing towards said heat insulation wall, and said reinforcement plate connects said support wall to said heat insulation wall.
 9. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein said support wall and said case body are separate molded parts, and said support wall is fixedly connected to said case body.
 10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum glass module and said case body are bonded to each other by an adhesive material.
 11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein said adhesive material is a double-sided adhesive tape or a hot melt adhesive.
 12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said storage compartments include a refrigeration compartment, a variable temperature compartment, or a freezing compartment. 